1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container for a sparkling beverage such as beer and bubble generating means used therein, and more particularly to a container capable of keeping froth on beer for a long time and bubble generating means used therein.
2. Description of Related Art
It is often said that important factors for good beer are a shiny amber color, refreshing aroma, clean stimulating taste, and fine froth. Froth, or an aggregation of bubbles, is evaluated on the basis of bubble condition, bubble duration, bubble amount, bubble density and the like. (Junichi Kumada: xe2x80x9cFroth of beerxe2x80x9d, Biology and chemistry 13, 1975, pp. 504-509
While a quality of liquid can be optimized by controlling production conditions and transportation conditions, a quality and amount of froth of beer depends on a beer cup and how to pour beer into the cup in addition to the above conditions. Accordingly, in order to regulate the amount of froth of beer, various types of beer cups have been proposed so far. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Patent Kokai No.) 10-234549 (1998) and 08-242999 (1996) disclose a container having microscopic asperities on the inside wall thereof to generate fine bubbles, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Patent Kokai No.) 09-206191 (1997) discloses a container whose inside is partially narrowed to prevent an overflow of froth of beer, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Patent Kokai No.) 08-252159 (1996) discloses a container with an aggregate of fine grains bonded to the bottom thereof to keep froth of beer for a long time, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Patent Kokai No.) 2000-051044 (2000) discloses a glass having a water repellent film layer and/or an oil repellent film layer on the surface thereof to keep froth of beer for a long time.
However, these containers and glass are difficult to manufacture or do not produce a satisfactory effect. For this reason, it has been desired to develop easier production method for a beer cup and better froth developing means.
When we drink sparkling beverage such as beer, a container gives us a visual pleasure as well. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Patent Kokai No.) 2000-051044 (2000) discloses a glass having a picture, a letter, or the like made of a water repellent film layer and/or an oil repellent film layer on the outer surface of the glass, which appears when cold beer is poured therein.
However, this glass has drawbacks. Such picture, letter, or the like disappears when a hand is touched thereon.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a container for a sparkling beverage capable of forming a frothy picture, letter or the like on the surface of the beverage and keeping it for a long time and bubble generating means used therein.
A container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention comprises a bubble generating portion having a coarse surface. The bubble generating portion is formed on the inside bottom portion of the container and is shaped into a predetermined mark indicating a certain message. The bubble generating portion generates bubbles in such a manner that an aggregation of the bubbles forms substantially the same shape as the mark on the surface of a beverage when the beverage is poured into the container.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, the bubble generating portion is formed on the inside bottom surface of the container.
The container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention is a pottery container and the coarse surface thereof is unglazed, semi-glazed, or coated with a coarse-grained glaze.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, the coarse surface is formed by sandblasting one of a glass surface, a plastic surface, and a metal surface by a 50- to 1000-mesh powder.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, the bubble generating portion is formed on bubble generating means laid on the inside bottom portion of the container.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, the bubble generating means is detachably attached to the inside bottom portion of the container.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, the bubble generating means is placed on the inside bottom portion of the container.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, the bubble generating means is bonded to the inside bottom portion of the container with an adhesive.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, the bubble generating means includes a pottery portion and the coarse surface is an unglazed part, a semi-glazed part, or a part coated with a coarse-grained glaze on the pottery portion.
In the container for a sparkling beverage according to the present invention, a diameter of a circle equal to an aggregation of a part corresponding to a projection of an asperity on the coarse surface is in a range from 4.5 to 40 xcexcm, wherein the asperities are extracted from a binary image.
Bubble generating means which is laid on an inside bottom portion of a container according to the present invention comprises a bubble generating portion having a coarse surface. The bubble generating portion is shaped into a predetermined mark indicating a certain message and generates bubbles in such a manner that an aggregation of the bubbles forms substantially the same shape as the mark on the surface of a beverage when the beverage is poured into the container.
The bubble generating means according to the present invention has the coarse surface on the one side thereof and an adhesive layer on the other side thereof.
In the bubble generating means according to the present invention, the adhesive layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive layer.
The bubble generating means according to the present invention includes a pottery portion and the coarse surface is an unglazed part, a semi-glazed part, or a part coated with a coarse-grained glaze on the pottery portion.
The bubble generating means according to the present invention includes a member made of glass, plastic, and metal and the coarse surface is formed on the member by sandblasting.
The bubble generating means according to the present invention comprises a predetermined base and a layer of a plurality of particles is applied to an upper surface of the base.
In the bubble generating means according to the present invention, the bubble generating portion is made of porous metal, porous glass, porous polymeric material, porous ceramic, and porous carbon.
In the bubble generating means according to the present invention, a diameter of a circle equal to an aggregation of a part corresponding to a projection of an asperity on the coarse surface is in a range from 4.5 to 40 xcexcm. The asperities are extracted from a binary image.